Lupus Drug Brings Hope to Sufferers
July 20, 2009 by Mark Ellis
Filed under Business
Those who suffer from lupus, an autoimmune disease notorious for being nearly untreatable, may soon enjoy much-needed relief thanks to Human Genome Sciences. According to results from company research, an experimental drug called Benlysta has proven to be much more effective than traditional lupus treatment, significantly reducing lupus symptoms.
The lupus community has not had many glimmers of hope in recent years, as every company that has devoted itself to researching lupus treatments has failed to discover any significant breakthroughs. Human Genome Sciences’ discovery brings a much-needed ray of hope to the lupus community, even though the results have yet to be extensively peer-reviewed.
Currently, lupus sufferers are treated with aspirin, prednisone, and a malaria drug called Plaquenil, each of which were approved about fifty years ago. Each can have severe side effects, making any alternative that promises better results much more desirable. Benlysta has a lower proportion of side effects compared to the rest of the drugs and these side effects have, so far, been minimal.
Image: Flickr
